


Hunting Trip

by ODeorainFan2150



Series: Watchpoint [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Cheating, Drunk Sex, Dubious Consent, F/F, F/M, Hunting, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Revenge Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 17:59:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16310003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ODeorainFan2150/pseuds/ODeorainFan2150
Summary: Ana Amari and Gérard Lacroix were supposed to go hunting together. But plans change and suddenly Ana must deal with Amélie instead...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The goal with this story (other than finally writing a story featuring my favourite pair of snipers) was to do something before the Fall of Overwatch that maybe explains why Talon made Amélie into a sniper. After all, it's much harder to work from scratch than to start from a defined base.
> 
> It's also my first attempt at anything vaguely close to smutty so please be gentle with chapter 2.
> 
> To make it easier to read, I've split it into chapters.

Despite her years of service, she’d never got fully used to working in amongst the trees. Her time fighting the omnics had been in the desert, hiding amid the dunes of the Sahara, or in the close quarters of the mega-city that had once been Cairo, when the threat could come from anywhere. Even once she had gone multinational, joining up with Overwatch, she had always been on edge when moving through the undergrowth. But today, she was excited. 

The morning was cool, mist still hanging in the hair when Ana Amari stepped out into the woods surrounding the Geneva base. She had dressed for the occasion, her usual blue uniform replaced with a much more practical set of hiking gear - although naturally, she’d managed to find a softshell in the same shade of blue. A tan baseball cap, a gift from Fareeha the last time she had visited, replaced the usual beret that many in Overwatch joked was an extension of her dark hair. She took a few deep breaths while she waited for her partner on this mission, enjoying the quiet. It was nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of Overwatch, even if she knew it was only a few miles back down the trail.

The weekend’s goal was simple - hunting. Jack had mentioned in the last command meeting that something was causing havoc in the woods. All evidence pointed to some aggressive wild boars, obviously roaming over their territory. Gérard Lacroix had been the first to volunteer for a hunting trip, enjoy the prospect of a challenge. Ana couldn’t help but agree - practice on the range was good but nothing was better than getting out into the real thing.

As she waited for him, sitting on the hood of one of the large SUV Overwatch had for these excursions, she started counting up how much time she had spent with Gérard recently. Their operational sectors crossed a lot more than she had originally thought when he joined. Gérard was the spymaster, sending out operatives to keep an eye on the world now that the omnic threat had mostly gone. Ana, on the other hand, focused more on her role as Commander Morrison’s XO, mainly administration and training. Because of this, the Frenchman and the Egyptian had ended up working together to assemble the right course to provide Intelligence with its spooks. Of course, despite being command staff, Ana still liked to get her hands dirty - several jobs had needed sniper cover and a trained medic was always helped. There was also the message it sent to the newbies - Mother is watching you.

Another SUV slowly pulled up the forest trail, it’s tinted glass hiding the passenger from Ana’s keen eyes. The number plate matched up to Gérard’s vehicle but it wasn’t his form that stepped out the driver seat. Instead, the new arrival was shorter, thinner, her black hair pulled back into a ponytail. Ana vaguely remembered her - from social events mostly and the occasional glance at the picture on Gérard's desk. She was dressed sensibly for the outdoors, with khaki cargo trousers and a neutral coloured fleece to keep the cold away.

The newcomer closed the door but stayed by her vehicle, staring straight at her “Ana, right? I’m Amélie Lacroix, Gérard’s wife.”

She stuck out her hand. Sliding off the bonnet and crossing the small gap, Ana took it and shook.

“Ana Amari, good to see you Mrs Lacroix. I think we met at last year’s fundraiser. Come to join us in the hunt?”

At this, Amélie nodded but looked a little sheepish “Not just joining you sadly, I’m replacing Gérard. He came down with something overnight and didn’t want to ruin your trip. So here I am!” She smiled. It was a pleasant one, lighting up her whole face. Ana noticed her accent was light and airy, a change from Gérard’s deeper tone.

She continued “I also had to properly meet the great Captain Amari he keeps talking about at home. I hear you’ve become, what’s the phrase, his ‘work wife’ ”

Ana coughed. That rumour had been bouncing around the HQ, comments about how close the pair were. Some people had even begun voicing ideas about them sleeping together, usually behind hands in conspiratorial whispers or low voices in the canteen. She truly wished there was no truth to these comments.

But her mind couldn’t be lied to. All she could think about was that evening in Marrakesh,  the two of them curling up together in the safe house after the stress of the day. His finger playing with her hair and brushing over her tattoo, her arms pulling him closer. Wordless passion followed by a morning of regret for both of them.

While Ana was lost in thought, Amélie had gone behind the vehicle and pulled her equipment out of the boot. It seemed like Gérard had always planned for this trip to have an extra person as Amélie quickly returned with a tan rucksack, a scrim netting over-suit and a large rifle case. Placing them on the ground, she undid the latches on the box and pulled out a masterpiece.

Ana had handled many weapons, from the overly practical pistol in her quarters to the needlessly ornate rifle they had pulled from a warlord’s armoury. This, however, was something special. She could see that it had once been a brother to her own rifle but someone had done some serious work to it. The stock and grips had been replaced, the polymer swapped for well-varnished wood. The metalwork had been decorated, some filigree around the edges. But the upgrades were not just cosmetic - a ballistic computer and rangefinder had been mounted into the side of the gun (unlike the one she had taped to her own) while the scope had an offset attached, perfect for sudden shots at close range. It didn’t scream luxury, more that someone who knew what they were wanting had paid a lot of money to get this perfect.

Ana caught Amélie’s eye as she lifted the weapon into her hands, “You know how to use that?”

Nodding, Amélie responded. “My father, he used to take me hunting when I was a girl. Mostly rabbit but the occasional boar would wander into the estate. This is my own rifle.” She ran her hand down the stock, feeling the flow of it. “I just wish I had more time to practise with her. Between the ballet and travel, it’s been mostly been sat on the wall. When Gérard mentioned this trip, he suggested I get it ready to go.”

Ana couldn’t help but continue to watch Amélie. She had pulled a knitted cap from her pocket, carefully fitting it to her head while making sure her hair wasn’t caught up in it. It was a look Ana had worn countless times, often with her face darkened with paint, but there was something to how Amélie was pulling it off. It almost looked like she was wearing it as part of a collection for the runway, the latest in military chic, rather than preparing for a hunt. 

Amélie still wore that smile, looking up as finished preparing her kit. “So what’s the plan?

Ana crouched down, spreading the map out on the ground and picking up stick from the floor. “This is the area we’ve been seeing the damage in. The plan is to hike through into the centre, keeping an eye out for any tracks on the way. We’ll camp overnight in the centre of the zone, set up a few toys to try and track them. Following day, we work our way back out via a different route. If we find something, Jack and Gabe are standing by to help us drive it back down the trail in their truck. If we don’t, then we come back next weekend and do it their way. Which will be a bit louder and probably involve Gabriel leaning out of a dropship doing what he does best.”

Amélie smiled again “Sounds good. Lead on my captain”

\---

Their morning was unsuccessful. They had spent their time hiking in, occasionally ditching the bags once they found a trail to follow. There was obvious signs of boar activity - trees damaged by tusks, pathways torn through the undergrowth. But no signs of the creatures themselves

Ana was impressed with Amélie’s skill. For a civilian whose normal job wasn’t trekking through the woods, she was doing an excellent job finding and following the trails the boars had left. Her skill as a dancer was obvious as she moved silently, stepping lightly and leaving barely any footprints. If she wasn’t already dedicated to her ballet career, and if she wasn’t Gérard’s wife, Ana would have been moving heaven and earth to try and recruit her.

They had remained quiet while stalking, trying to avoid giving away their positions. But Ana could feel the other hunter watching her, those brown eyes peering out from under her cap. To be fair, she’d been doing the same. Amélie was very easy to watch.

\--

They took a break for lunch, enjoying the quiet of the forest for the most part. However, Amélie couldn’t help herself. As they ate, she started chatting.

“You said Jack and Gabe would be around to help carry out anything we shoot?”

Ana looked up from her food.“That’s the plan. They are up in one of the cabins near here for the weekend. Probably grilling somewhere where they won’t burn down anything too important.” She snorted.

Amélie stared at her “So… the rumours about them?”

Ana gently smiled, taking another bite “I think that’s more of an unspoken fact at this point - especially after the Christmas party. Torbjorn has never moved as fast as he did when he found them making out in the corridor.”

She continued.“Stressful work environment means lots of relationships. I should know, having to write all the personnel warnings”

Amélie thought for a moment. “Not to be a gossip but I think I know of another pair from seeing them around various events. Moira and that blonde doctor. What’s her name… Angela.“

Ana laughed “Not to be a gossip?” She raised an eyebrow “Also those two? No, can’t be. They hate each other, screaming like cats and dogs every time we put them in a meeting together. I spend more time reading about their childish fights than I do seeing them work.”

Amélie shrugged, the very model of the Gallic stereotype “Sometimes opposites attract. And Moira. She is nicer than she pretends to be. Gérard brought her to Paris for a show, she was wiping away tears at the end of the performance. Even brought flowers to my dressing room”

They continued to eat silently again for the moment. And then Amélie turned the conversation towards Ana.

“What about you Captain, has anyone stolen your heart?”

Ana looked down at her energy bar, pondering her answer. Was this a trap? Or a genuine question?

Instead, she shrugged “I was married once. We have a daughter together, Fareeha, you may have seen her visit when she’s not off on operations. But it wasn’t meant to be between me and Sam - we ended up drifting apart, still friends but not as close as we once were. There was just too much we both wanted to do, him in Canada with his tribe and myself in the military and then Overwatch.”

Amélie looked like she wanted to say something but then she had seen the look in Ana’s eye. She knew when not to press. The two finished their lunch in silence before continuing the trek.

\---

The afternoon produced little better in terms of results. There were still tracks but nothing useful.

On the other hand, they had managed to bag a few rabbits for the evening meal. Ana had already prepared a base to work with, the combination of aromatics and spices sat in bags inside her rucksack. As well as a few special ingredients to improve the taste.

\---

With the sun setting behind them, the two hunters set up their evening camp. Working carefully, Ana set up the surveillance equipment she procured, all ready to capture the surroundings as they slept. It seemed strange to her to use military equipment for this but it was technically an Overwatch mission. Besides, it gave Torbjorn a chance to test out his little toys. The items she placed were similar to his turrets, just more focused on intelligence gathering.

Ana returned to find her companion already getting to work on the rabbits, the tent assembled. This entire trip was a learning experience for Ana - she had never imagined Amélie like this. She always had seen her as the dancer, the socialite, the wife attached to Gérard’s arm. But here she was, carefully preparing the kills like a hunter, removing the skin and cutting the meat into chunks with her knife.

They talked as they cooked together, Ana decanting the pre-cut vegetables into the pan that had been strapped to her kit all the way up the mountain. Conversation flowed between them easily;. Ana described the Egypt she’d grown up in, the bustling markets and quiet evenings under the stars in the desert, of joining the army. Amélie talked about growing up a count’s daughter, of becoming part of the ballet, the life on the road going from performance to performance.

With the food starting to cook, the sizzle of the meat filling the air, Ana returned to her bag. “Seeing as we’ve camped out for the night, it might be time to break open the good stuff.” Slowly, she pulled a green glass bottle from inside, carefully unwrapping the t-shirt she’d surrounded it with. Taking it in one hand, she lifted it so that the moon caught the silver label in it’s glow.

“A bottle of Cairo’s finest wine. Fareeha brought a case back with her last time she visited. Sorry it’s not French but it’s intended mainly for cooking with so I didn’t want to offend”

Amélie laughed, that sweet music to Ana’s ears. “Fair enough, although I thought…”

Ana looked up as she poured some into the pot, steam rising in front of her. “That I didn’t drink?”

The dancer looked ashamed “I just assumed…”

Now Ana laughed “Don’t assume Mrs Lacroix - as Gabe would say, “makes an ass of you and me”, “ she took a glug “I like a tipple as much as the next woman, although I usually try to control myself more than some of our friends.” She passed over the bottle. “Now take a sip and tell me if it matches up to your high standards.”

Amélie took the bottle and sipped. Her face contorted for a moment as if she’d tasted something sour. But before Ana could take it back, she took another, bigger glug. 

“I might need a few more before I get used to it,” she said, passing it back.

\---

With their plates clean and bellies full, they continued to sit around the fire. The readout next to Ana’s chair was silent except for the occasional beep to remind everyone it was still turned on.

As the night rolled on, the clouds passing in front of the moon, the wine bottle continued being passed back and forth. Eventually, Ana had recovered the second one from inside her bag and they’d split it between them. They talked, laughing at each other’s stories and enjoying the other’s company. Ana was starting to get annoyed she hadn’t met Amélie sooner - they had so much in common. It was also nice to talk to someone who wasn’t her subordinate - Angela was always fun to be with but that friction of rank was still there, a block between normal friendships.

It was truly dark when Amélie turned to look at Ana. Lit only by the embers of the fire, her face was suddenly serious.

“I know about Marrakesh, Ana. Gérard told me a few weeks ago.”


	2. Chapter 2

“I know about Marrakesh, Ana. Gérard told me a few weeks ago.”

In the darkness, Ana could feel her heart sink. That was the reason she’d come on the trip. A way to get Ana on her own before acting on her feelings. She had been expecting it all day until the fun had overtaken the worry.

Amélie spoke again. “I’m not angry with you.”

There was a pause. Ana watched Amélie’s face, seeing how it remained stock still.

“No, that’s a lie, I am incredibly angry. With both of you”

Her brown eyes flashed in the glow from the fire as she stood up, her hand pointing aggressively at her.

“I always knew about him and his ways. Christ, half the reason I pushed him to join Overwatch was to give him more of a distraction, prevent his eyes from wandering. But you? You’ve been married - you knew how bad it would be afterwards, how it would feel for someone to betray you.”

Ana nervously responded, “Amélie, it was a delicate situation. We were under a lot of stress...”

Amélie's eyes flared again with anger “Oh and that makes it okay?”

Holding her head in her hands, Ana mumbled “No. It doesn’t. I’m sorry”

Another pause. This one seemed to last for eternity.

Silhouetted against the embers, Amélie seemed to sway. Staring at Ana, and taking another swig from her bottle, Amélie broke the silence “Show me”

Confused, Ana blurted out her response “What?”

“Show me what you did with him. I want to know how good you really are.”

Ana shook her head “Amélie, no”

“Why, because it’s wrong? To take another man’s woman?”

“Yes. Also, I’m almost old enough to be your mother!”

“You don’t look it” She’d moved closer, almost on top of Ana “That serum your commanders stuck you with did wonders, didn’t it? Although I hear you don’t like to talk about it”

Ana could feel the hands on her jacket, pushing her into the chair.

“So let's not talk”

Ana continued trying to avoid what she knew was coming. “Amélie, we shouldn’t”

“I’ve felt your eyes all day Ana. Wandering over me when I took the lead. You’ve been thinking about this, haven’t you? Thinking about getting the matching set” She tapped Ana on the nose, the first sign of a smile appearing on her face “Naughty.”

Suddenly, the chair they were both resting on flipped backwards, throwing Ana to the grass. Amélie landed on top of her and immediately took advantage of this change in position, pressing her down under her bodyweight. Ana could feel her partner’s hand moving under her jacket, cold fingers reaching, touching over her bare skin. The other hand slipped under her belt, it’s fingers getting closer and closer. Ana’s breathing started to increase in pace, her heart pounding in her chest.

Amélie leaned over and whispered into her ear “I’ll forgive you if you do this. Please, Ana please.”

Ana could feel her resolve to stop this drop - she was caught. She’d always been weak, always been a fool for a beautiful woman and part of her was just begging for any chance of forgiveness. She nodded.

\---

Picking themselves up off the ground, Amélie led her by the hand the way back to the tent, kicking off their boots as they entered. In the darkness the pair of them moved to one of the sleeping pods, pulling their sleeping bags off their rucksacks and spreading them over the floor mat. Amélie moved to undo Ana’s jacket but the older woman grabbed her hand and pushed her onto the soft floor. If Amélie wanted to know what she’d done with Gérard, Ana would be taking the lead.

Sitting on top of her partner, she worked the fleece up and over Amélie’s head. A lycra base layer was revealed, it’s tight material hugging her form. Ana ran her hands over the contours, pausing to brush her thumbs over her partner's nipples. Amélie moaned at the touch, bringing a smile to Ana’s face. She was obviously quite vocal, so thank goodness for their isolation.

Moving up her frame, Ana soon had her hands on Amélie’s hat. She pulled it off slowly, running her hands through that black mass of hair while bringing her lips back to join with Amélie's, capturing another moan in her mouth. They held together for a while, the kiss varying in its intensity before Ana felt hands going for her belt.

She broke the kiss, looking Amélie directly in the eyes. “You’re such a brat aren’t you”.

Amélie smiled and tried to move up for another kiss but Ana was having none of it. She shifted her position slightly and continued to disrobe Amele. Off came the underlayer revealing a black sports bra. Instead of continuing,  Ana ran her digits back down her partner's stomach, her fingertips dancing across the expanse of pale skin. She brought her mouth down and kissed her softly above the belly button, leading to another pleasurable sound from Amélie and a smile across her own face.

She felt Amélie’s hands again reaching for her belt. This attitude her partner showed was getting weary. Almost angrily, Ana grabbed her wrists and sternly stared at her “Try that again and I’ll tie those hands together.”

Before she’d even finished talking, Ana knew she wasn’t about to obey. As soon as she felt a tug, she moved. Grabbing both of Amélie's wrists, she pulled her belt out of the loops and wrapped it around them, holding them together and placing the loose end between her hands. “Seeing as you like it so much”. Amélie started mouthing a response but Ana just placed a finger across her lips.

With her partner’s hands immobilised, Ana decided she now had time to put on a show. The baseball cap came off first, taking with it the loop that held her own ponytail together. She let her hair cascade around her, a waterfall of raven hair that helped to frame her face. Next was her softshell. Inch by inch she unzipped it, slowly revealing the plain black tank top underneath. When she finally shed it, Amélie gasped at Ana’s arms.

Ana wasn’t going to be giving Reinhardt any challenge in the arm wrestling competition but she was proud of the definition visible, the muscle groups standing out under her olive skin, shifting as she flexed. Amélie’s reaction to them made her smile - if she liked those, she was going to love what would be coming next. She slowly removed her tank top, leaving her in only her bra. She paused watching the younger woman’s face.

Filled with lust, Amélie took the chance and lunged forward, trying to feel the row of cobblestones in front of her. But again Ana grabbed her restraints in a vice-like grip, holding them just inches away from her abs. Pulling her hands up she leaned in for another kiss before pushing her down hard onto the sleeping mat. Taking this opportunity, she undid Amélie’s trousers and pulled them off, leaving her only in her underwear.

She paused again, this time to drink in all of the Frenchwoman. Her body was thin but toned, a lifetime of dance training her body in a way quite unlike her own military focused physique. Her skin was pale and almost unblemished, seeming to shine in the dark. She was, in other words, perfection. She was also squirming under her weight, desperate for more contact with her lover, struggling against the restraints around her wrists.

Ana teased a little more, running her hands down Amélie's stomach before hooking her fingers over the top of her panties. She pulled down suddenly, revealing her prize. Running her fingers around Amélie’s opening, she could feel how wet she was, the beautiful noises just confirmation of how desperate she was. She plunged in one of her fingers into her slit, causing Amélie to move around her, reacting to the sensation. It didn’t take her long to add another finger, causing the Frenchwoman to buck against her, arching her back and scrabbling frantically for some support. A third and the movement became more intense beneath her. She maintained this for a while watching in delight as the Frenchwoman began to lose control, desperate for the touches to continue.

A careful lover, Ana paused her ministrations for a moment and slowly undid the bindings around Amélie’s hands, gently rubbing her wrists to get the blood flowing. Once ready, her fingers returned to their work but now she added her thumb, making slow circles around her partner’s nub. With her own hands now free, Amélie gripped Ana’s shoulders, nails digging into flesh as she held on against the waves of pleasure, filling the air with her groans.

Eventually, it was too much for the younger woman. She screamed into the night, stopping only when Ana brought her in for a longer, deeper kiss, letting her slowly come down from the pleasurable high. Ana could feel the aftershocks working their way through her, the clenching around her fingers holding them in place. Slowly, carefully, she pulled apart, running one hand through Amélie’s hair as she watched her drift off to sleep, exhausted from Ana’s attention. The Captain pulled the sleeping bags tight around them and settled in herself, her last few moments awake spent staring at the beautiful lady she was lying next to.


	3. Chapter 3

Dawn broke, causing Ana to wake with a groan. Trust her to get a hangover while out in the wilderness on a hunting trip. That wine had been rough, ideal for cooking but a whole bottle had been a mistake.

It was when she shifted and felt someone next to her that the memories started coming back. Amélie. The wine. The reveal. The chair. The agreement. Here.

She turned her head slowly to look at who she knew was sharing her bed. Her partner seemed to be still fast asleep, peaceful in the early light of dawn. She was probably worn out from the evening’s activities but even so, she was beautiful to see. Her dark hair, loose from the ponytail it had been in the previous day, surrounded her like a halo. Ana just wanted to run her fingers through it, feel her warm skin against her own, take another touch of those silken lips. But she knew it was wrong.

  
Instead, she tried to leave, to go and see what state they had left the campsite in. Pulling herself out of her sleeping bag, she felt a hand pulling at her trousers. Looking down, she saw Amélie lying awake, her eyes now wide open, and noticed she was crying. Not out loud, but silent tears were rolling down her face.

She starting talking, her voice a harsh croak. “I’m sorry Ana. I shouldn’t have pushed you, I shouldn’t...” she mumbled “At first I just wanted, something. Something to get back at you and him. Now all I’ve done is...”

Ana leant down and took her face in her hand. She wiped away the tears with her thumb, feeling Amélie’s face rotating into her touch “Shush, it’s alright. I understand.”

Amélie sobbed again, her hand resting on Ana’s “No, you don’t. It’s not just that.”. She gazed up at Ana. “I think I’m in love with you”

Her heart stopped. Time slowed to a crawl. Ana thought she had misheard. “In love with me? But you barely know me!”

Amélie started rubbing her eyes “I’m sorry, it’s stupid.”

Ana continued to cradle her head, her voice returning to the calming tone she had used many times before “It’s not stupid Amélie. You are young, and lonely and stressed. It makes perfect sense.”

She leaned closer “Although maybe we should continue this conversation somewhere more comfortable. Talk about it more when we are warm and cosy, perhaps over some of my tea.”

Amélie nodded, her eyes almost dry.

Ana smiled, kind and caring “I’ll get the nano-gel as well - I don’t know about you but I have a pounding headache.”

\---

Once they had prepared themselves for the rest of the day and packed up, they set off on a different route. The motion trackers hadn’t seen anything overnight and so Ana was starting to think this trip was a bust. There were definitely boars around but their attempts to find them had failed.

It was starting to look like Gabe would get his wish next weekend.

\---

Around mid-day, they finally found a boar. Or at least, what was left of it.

Amélie spotted it first, a patch of brown hair among the green. Without saying a word she’d pointed it out to Ana and they moved carefully up to it, scanning for movement. The patch was only part of the animal. The rest was scattered around the clearing, chunks of meat and bone forcibly thrown around by some unnatural force.

Amélie looked shocked “Mon Dieu, what could have done this? Another hunter?”

This caused a bark of laughter from Ana, “Maybe if they were hunting with a cannon”

The Captain shifted, her eyes scanning for clues. Finally, she saw what she was dreading. Using another stick, she picked up the brass object from the dirt. It was a shell casing, large calibre, all too familiar to her. She moved it in the light, watching as the markings were thrown into relief. Without looking away, she started talking to her companion.

“Change of plan, Amélie. Looks like we’re going back up the mountain - going to need to find somewhere we can tell Overwatch we have a rogue Omnic on the loose.”

\---

While Amélie looked at the map to remind herself of the route, Ana went into her bag. Pulling off a rear panel she soon extricated out two small vests and a cardboard box of ammo from a small internal bag.

She handed her partner one of the vests “Put this on.”

Amélie nodded, strapping the plates over the top of her jacket. “Body armour?” she asked, wrapping one panel with her knuckles.

Ana nodded as she put her own kit on. “Better safe than sorry.”

“And the ammo?”

Ana split the box in half, passing a pile of shells over into Amélie’s hand. “Hunting loads won’t do much against an Omnic so we need to load these penetrators. Shouldn’t take more than one to drop most of the designs we fought but load up at least two mags of the stuff just in case”

“Were you expecting something like this?” Amélie asked, feeding the new rounds into her rifle

“Expecting, no. Thought of as a possibility? Yes”

Amélie looked worried. Ana touched her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, we can do this. It’s just a quick walk back up the hill and then wait for the cavalry”

\---

The pair moved differently now. Whereas before Amélie was happy to take the lead, here she lagged behind, watching the surroundings with one eye always on Ana. The dynamic had changed - when they had been hunting boar they were equally good, both hunters with experience of the game. But now, Ana was the leader, the veteran fighter. She knew what they were up against - she had years of experience of hunting these things. Amélie followed her lead.

\---

The first Omnic appeared as they crossed a clearing in the woods. It had obviously been damaged in the past, it’s cannon hanging uselessly from its arm. Ana was about to shout a warning when it exploded, Amélie having used her backup sight to quickly draw aim and knock it down. The penetrators did their job, cutting a burning hole through the metal and preventing it repairing itself.

Drawn by the noise, another Omnic popped up out of the treeline and came lumbering towards them, it’s cannon firing wildly as it came. One shot shredded the rock they were hiding behind, sending a spray of needle-sharp rubble flying everywhere and causing both of them to hit the deck. Ana moved quickly though, pulling herself upright and reducing the attacker to a box of scrap with a single shot through its brain.

The last one of the group, however, was big. It didn’t have a cannon but was instead built like a tank, all metal plate and artificial muscle fibres. It came rushing towards them, rampaging like a bull, pulling the undergrowth apart as it moved. Amélie jumped up to her knee and start hammering shot after shot into it, smoothly but quickly working the polished bolt of her rifle between shots. It shrugged them off, continuing its charge straight towards her despite the deep holes that were appearing in its head and the oil streaming from it. Her eyes bouncing between them, Ana ran the maths and saw what was about to happen. She flung her own rifle into the dirt before sprinting towards Amélie, leaping through the air in order to spear her out of the way. As they moved, she saw Amélie’s last shot impact, the light into the creatures head going out like a flash. But physics is a cruel mistress and its death didn’t stop it ploughing through the air where Amélie had been moments before.

Ana sat on top of Amélie, covering her as like a shield as they lay in the dirt. For a moment they were locked together. Ana tried to pull away, to make sure they were clear, but she felt arms holding her tightly, the slightest hint of a tremble in them. She knew she had to move, to double check her surroundings but she couldn’t bring herself to. Instead, she just relaxed, wrapping Amélie in her embrace and whispering to her quietly until she let go.

“It’s alright  _ Habibi _ , I’m here. You’re safe with me, you’ll always be safe”

\--

To put it mildly, Gabe was not amused. His weekend away had been interrupted by an emergency call on a Sunday and now he was beginning to understand that the hog he had been promised was actually a collection of rogue omnics. As he watched agents clearing the pieces away, Torbjorn collecting the interesting parts to study, he let go of his bluster to focus more on the pair who had found them.

Angela was taking care of Amélie, checking her over for any wounds. She’d already extracted some of the rock fragments from her arm and was taking care with the last few. Amélie was now happily chatting away, not quite her usual self but still able to hold a conversation and explain the day’s events to Jack.

Instead, Gabe sat down next to the other survivor. Ana had been quiet once the rest of the Overwatch agents had arrived. She’d obviously been in the wars, her clothing covered in dust and scratches. Someone had draped a blanket over her and she pulled it tighter as he moved closer.

Gabe coughed before he spoke “So, no luck finding that boar then”

Ana fixed him with a side eye.

He raised his hands “I’m just saying, you promised me a boar for Jack to BBQ. Worked out the marinade and everything. Even had recipes for sausages and ribs ready to go. But nope, turns out just a bunch of Omnics trying to cause trouble”

The mocking expression dropped from his face “Seriously, I’m just happy you’re okay. Both of you”

Ana looked over at Amélie. They had stayed huddled together for quite a while, their arms wrapped around each other safety. Ana could see some of that fear still present and watching Jack grilling Amélie was infuriating. Couldn’t he see how scared she was?

Gabe followed her gaze. “Oh no, I know that look. Don’t even think of it, Ana. We tried the first time we saw her shoot, remember? You know Gérard would kill you if you wrote up the paperwork with that recommendation. Well, he’d kill me and Jack first for letting you try and then come for you. Just let her be a dancer, leave her out of all the spy stuff and secret missions”

Ana smiled glumly and looked back at him “She’s braver than you’d think Gabe. And so much raw talent. Given the right training, she could even be better than me”

Gabe laughed “Good thing she owes you one then - I hear you saved her from being squashed”

Ana looked back at Amélie and for a moment their eyes met. This trip, which had started with bad intentions and things unsaid had pulled them together. Ana knew she would see the brown-eyed woman again. Part of her hoped that what they had started on the mountain top was not a one-off. But the rest of her knew she could not do that to one of her friends. Instead, she just smiled at Amélie.


	4. Epilogue

The evening was cool as Ana climbed her way up to the campsite. It had been years since that first trip and they had not been kind to her. She rubbed her eyepatch as she climbed, her hair much paler under the setting sun, her pace a little slower than it had been the first time she had visited here. The forest had barely changed in her absence and she smiled to see the marks from wild boar as she passed the trees. Perhaps this time she’d actually have caught one and brought it back for Jack and Gabe to cook. Thinking about them started stirring up memories and so she pressed on, focusing on the climb.

Finally, she reached the top, the site where they had camped all those years ago. It was obviously still a popular spot, sheltered from the wind but still with pleasant views out over the countryside. Ana found the space she was wanting, right on the edge with her legs dangling over the side, letting herself relax after the long climb.

She heard suddenly a low boom, and a blue streak sailed through the sky at speed before pulling up into a vertical climb and disappearing off into the cloud layer. It seemed like Fareeha had grown bored of waiting for her and had decided to take some time to practice with her recently upgraded suit, taking advantage of the quiet of the national park they were in. She couldn’t help but laugh at her little bird’s antics. She’d been a fool for keeping her away from Overwatch, a mother trying hard to give her a different life while showing her all it could be.

Although distracted by her daughter’s activities, she clearly heard the sound she had been expecting. A light press on the undergrowth behind her, some slow movement as someone crossed the grass. Then the muzzle of a rifle on the back of her hood.

“What’s this? The great Captain Amari all by herself with no weapon?” The voice was similar to the one from all those years ago but tougher, less light. Every word seemed to drip with venom now, rather than the joy they had before. “You’re getting old and slow, Ana”

Ana raised her hands. One was empty but the other held a bottle in it.

“No point in being armed when you’re just having a drink on a summer’s evening”

Carefully, she leant to her side, flicking open the bag to reveal a second bottle nestled within.

“Especially not when you’re sharing it with old friends”

There was a short laugh, and then she felt a thin hand taking the wine from her own, the pressure on the back of her cloak disappearing.

“Only friends  _ cherie _ ?” the voice slightly lighter now  “That’s not what I remember. Especially not from the last time we were here.”

The figure sat down next to her, a dark cape covering her usual skintight costume. She pushed the hood back as her visor retracted, revealing those golden eyes and her pale blue face reflecting in the moonlight. Looking down at the label on the bottle she laughed.

“Cairo’s finest. Let’s see if time has made it any better”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

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